[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 90 (Thursday, June 30, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1397]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      DEE KELLY'S LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KAY GRANGER

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 29, 2005

  Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to have a letter to the Editor 
of the Dallas Morning News, written on June 8, 2005, entered into the 
Record. The letter was written by a constituent of mine, Dee Kelly.

                                                     June 8, 2005.
     Mr. William McKenzie,
     Associate Editorial Page Editor, Dallas Morning News, Dallas, 
         TX.
       Dear Billy: Amon Carter always said that given the 
     opportunity Dallas would always treat Fort Worth like a 
     stepchild. However, that was not the case when Dallas and 
     Fort Worth built DFW. The cities worked together and agreed 
     to joint covenants to build one of the greatest airports in 
     the United States and to close Love Field and Amon Carter 
     Field in Fort Worth.
       Unfortunately, the founder of DFW in preparing the bond 
     covenants did not require Southwest to sign the agreements. 
     Southwest was then only operating in Texas under permit from 
     the defunct Texas Aeronautical Commission. As a result 
     Southwest was permitted to continue to fly out of Love Field, 
     but Fort Worth was required to shut down Amon Carter Field.
       For many years, Fort Worth could rely on the bond covenants 
     to protect themselves from Dallas trying to expand Love 
     Field. The Fifth Circuit Federal court has now preempted the 
     joint covenants between the two cities leaving Fort Worth 
     virtually defenseless to prevent Dallas from further 
     expanding Love Field in the event the Wright Amendment is 
     repealed.
       Southwest has become not only greedy, but hypocritical as 
     well. Southwest was about to have Love Field closed again in 
     1979, but its lobbyist J.D. Williams from the firm of 
     Williams and Jensen in Washington was able to persuade Jim 
     Wright to accept the Wright Amendment, which basically kept 
     Southwest alive. For Herb Kelleher to indicate that the 
     Wright Amendment was forced upon him when in fact it saved 
     his airline insults credulity.
       Another factious Southwest contention is that the 
     relationship between the Houston International airport and 
     Hobby could form a basis for DFW/Love Field connection. DFW 
     is the third busiest airport in this country. Houston 
     International is not even rated in the top ten, primarily 
     because Hobby has siphoned off so much travel from the big 
     airport in Houston.
       It is true, no doubt, that if Southwest moved to DFW it 
     could lower airport fares for everybody in the metroplex, 
     including Fort Worth. Southwest is far too selfish to forgo 
     its monopoly at Love Field and is not willing to compete at 
     DFW.
       Southwest, of course, is the darling of the press because 
     of its lower fares. People in the metroplex should be 
     concerned about the long-term effect of expansion at Love 
     Field. Make no mistake that American will move to Love Field 
     as well. There will be litigation almost instantly for Dallas 
     to expand to permit many of DFW's best flights to move to 
     Love. Congestion and safety concerns will arise again just as 
     they did when DFW was built.
       If Mr. Carter was living, he would not be surprised that 
     Fort Worth once again finds itself on the short end of a deal 
     with Dallas.
           Best Regards,
     Dee Kelly.

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